Improvement in ditching-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. COX, OF DUBLIN, INLIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlTCHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,235, dated August 8, 1865.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT W. Cox, ot' Dublin, Wayne county, Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to the class ofmachines employed for digging or excavating ditches by animal or other power, and consists in devices whereby such machines are placed more fully under control of the attendant and less subject to interruption or injury from rocks, roots, or other interfering obstacles.

A is a frame, supported on its rear end on Wheels B B', ot'Which one wheel, B, is fast to the axle G. The front end of the frame Aterminates in a tongue, Af, which occupies a slot, d, in the axle D of a pair ot' fore wheels, EE. The kingbolt F, instead of passing down through the `fore axle in the common way, is in front of said axle, and has wound around it a cord, G, which, being attached at its opposite ends to the said axle, enables the position of the king-bolt to be changed with respect to the axle hy the simple rotation of said bolt. This rotation is pert'ormed by the attendant through the medium of a hand-Wheel, H.

A yoke or staple, I, attached to the axle and passing in front of the king-bolt, prevents the lateral displacement of the axle while permitting of the adjustment. ofthe fore part of the frame to one side or the other, and also permitting ofthe horizontal vibration ofthe tore axle.

The axle U carries a spur-wheel, J, which meshes in a pinion, K, on the shaft l ofa pulley, L, journaled horizontally in the frame.

M is a trough, suspended at its rear end to the shaft L and at its frontend provided with a pair of colters, N N', having racks n at theirA rear edges, which are concentric with the shaft l and gear with pinions O 0', whose shaft o is journaled horizontally in the frame, and has a winch, P, at one end, and at its otherl end a ratchet-wheel, Q, and pawl q. The colters N N also afford journal-bearing to a pulley, L', around which and the pulley L an endless belt or chain, It, is stretched. The belt lt is armed with blades or hoes S.

'lhe bearings n inthe colters to receive the pulleys L are slotted as represented, in orde-r to permit the trough M tojump or bound over rocks, roots, or other immovable obstacles. The trough lil is armed at its lower end with a shovel, T. t

U is a chtite for conducting to one side ofthe ditch the earth and other matters separated by the shovel T and carried up the troughM by the hoes S. y

Should it be necessary to suddenly change the course ofthe shovel while the machine is in operation, it can be effected, withoutchanging the direction ot' the draft or operating on the fore gear, by simply turning the handwheel H so as to shilt the fore end ofthe frame to the right or lett, as the case may he.

I claim herein asnewand of myinvention` 1. The combination of trough M, shovel T, elevator It S, pulleys L L', constituting the apparatus for digging and carrying back the excavated matters.

2. The described digging and elevating apparatus hinged to the rear upper part ofthe frame and having its forward or digging end both suspended and vertically adjusted by the' racked colters gearing to pinions O O' under control of the attendant.

3. The slotted bearings n n in the racked colters, for the purpose specified.

4. The combination ot the devices F Gr H I for suddenly changing thecourse of theshovel, iu the manner set forth.

In testimony ot' which invention I hereunto set my hand.

A. W. (50X. Witnesses:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, JAMES H. LAYMAN. 

